Review FINAL FANTASY IX CODEX: Final Fantasy 9 Full Version is a game from my childhood. A game I have really fond memories of. In a lot of ways it’s a game all about nostalgia.

Final Fantasy 9 takes place in a very cutesy chibi fantasy world where steampunk technologies like airships are just starting to become a thing. You play as Zidane, an amusing rogue who initially starts his quest on a mission to kidnap a princess. A far cry from the cold and distant protagonists of Cloud Strife and Squall Leonheart. However the plot gradually opens up into a very long quest as you eventually explore the world and encounter it’s inhabitants.

The characters are where the game truly nails it. All of the party members in FINAL FANTASY IX Full Version are memorable. Your black mage Vivi is insecure and always nervous. And Zidane and Vivi gradually grow into this almost brotherly bond with one another. Your princess Garnet yearns for adventure and over the course of the storyline develops a very pleasant romance with the protagonist. You eventually pick up her bodyguard Steiner, a perpetually aggravated knight sworn to protect her. And even more fantastical party members like Freya, an anthropomorphic rat clad in armor who joins the party looking for her long lost love. And Quina, a bizarre creature who has abilities based on enemies you allow him to consume. All of the party members in Final Fantasy 9 are great. I remembered all of them and the way they interact with each other and develop over the course of the story is a real treat.

The battle system in 9 takes from the previous games in numerous ways. The ATB system returns and they increased the amount of party members you can have in a single battle to 4 just like the pre-7 games. What I like about this release of the game in particular is it allows you to select elements of the user interface using the mouse. Which is very convenient and reduces the amount of fumbling through the menu that it usually would with the controller.

This is the first time FINAL FANTASY IX Full Version has ever been released off the original Playstation so there are a few things to note if you’ve played Final Fantasy 7 or 8’s PC ports. It doesn’t let you use linear filtering like the original PS1 version, it uses a bilinear filter. For most people this won’t be that big of a deal but it does look different compared to how you’re used to. Otherwise it lets you play the game either with a controller or with a keyboard/mouse. And lets you control the user interface using the mouse which is a real treat to me. They also added an autosave feature and numerous little quirks into the game like allowing you to skip cutscenes.

One other thing to note is this isn’t a full remake of FINAL FANTASY IX Full Version. The FMVs are the same, as are the 2D backgrounds and the 3D models. The only major differences I’ve noticed in the port compared to the original PS1 version are changes in the user interface. And like 7 and 8’s PC ports it lets you optionally enable cheats to make you super powerful at the start of the game. So far the only major issue I’ve noticed is related to controller sensitivity so I hope that gets promptly fixed.

The entire game has this feeling of going back to something special. The soundtrack especially is full of very soft and somber themes that hearken back to childhood. It’s a game that makes you feel like you’re a kid again, and makes you want to return to old games you grew up with. Download and playing now FINAL FANTASY IX full version for PC windows.